No sooner had Nancy Pelosi announced a provision in the economic stimulus package bill that would help states fund Medicaid programs for family planning, SCHIP and other critical health services, than Republicans and the mainstream media erupted in confusion and anger.
Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner (R) asked how contraception would help stimulate the economy unaware, apparently, that access to family planning and contraception for women and their families decreases the rate of unplanned pregnancy which saves literally billions of dollars in public funds. The family planning funding provision, along with the Medicaid waiver, was not inserted into the package for convenience. It was put in the package because the provision of these services makes economic sense.
This is not controversial. Or at least there is no need for it to be. Unless, of course, we are still fighting anti-contraception forces?
Unfortunately, some House Democrats, at the behest of the Obama administration, are saying they will cave to Republicans and remove this provision.
The AP reports:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic officials say House leaders are seriously considering deleting family planning funds for the low-income from an economic stimulus bill headed for a vote later in the week.
These Democrats say the Obama administration made the request for the change. Republicans have been critical of the provision, which is included in the $825 billion bill.
Why would the Obama administration request the removal of a provision to ensure that state Medicaid programs be allowed to provide contraception to low-income families? And why would House leaders cave to this request?
It is a poor portend of what's to come if this goes through.
